my $pid = fork;
if ($pid) {
    # give thank u message.
} elsif (defined $pid) {
    # close STDIN
    # close STDOUT
    # send emails.
    # exit.
} else {
    # Error message.
}
[download]

This seems to word for me. Replace your "mail code" where I exec ('sleep 60')

#!/usr/bin/perl -w

use strict;
use CGI;
use Errno qw(EAGAIN);

my $pid;
my $page = new CGI;
print $page->header(),
    $page->start_html();
    FORK:
    {
        if ($pid = fork())
        {
            print <<HTML;
<CENTER>
In the parent process<BR>
HTML
            print $page->end_html();
            exit;
        }
        elsif (defined $pid)
        {
            print <<HTML;
<CENTER>
In the child process<BR>
HTML
            print $page->end_html();
            close STDIN;
            close STDOUT;
            close STDERR;
            exec ('sleep 60');
            exit;
        }
        elsif ($! == EAGAIN)
        {
            print qq(Re-doing fork\n);
            sleep 5;
            redo FORK;
        }
        else
        {
            die qq(Can't fork: $!'n);
        }
    }
[download]

Hope this is of more help than the first posters comment. We all had to start once

ok thanks for the code, i appreciate it! i have a couple of things...the last line which says

die qq(Can't fork: $!'n);

is the 'n suppose to be \n?
[download]

i did run your code in conjunction with what im doing but i still had the same problem, the browser was still communicating with the perl script the whole time the emails were being sent, almost as if the fork wasnt actually sending the emails and the perl script was? i did overcome this by placing close STDIN, STDOUT, STDERR all inside the parent process, that completely cut the parent process from from everything and seems to have done the trick :) i suspect it may cause some other problem im unaware of?

now that it seesm ive created a fork is there anyway to cancel a fork already in process?

thanks rich

You might want to take a look at Proc::Daemon. I think the init() function might be a better approach then the one you are taking with closing your filehandles.

Jured,

In answer to the question you posted in your update, I gave you a -- because you used the f-word in a way that made it sound like you were disgusted with the person for asking the question. I did not think that was appropriate for a message system dedicated to learning Perl. I understand how annoying it can be at times when people ask first and RTFM second. But if it was your intention to ask this person to read what is already available prior to posting, I think you did a poor job of it.

i did look at the manual, but i didnt understand it, i am not the smartest programming in the world :( Thanks for the code coltsfoot, i appreciate it! i have a couple of things to ask though...the last line which says

<code> die qq(Can't fork: $!'n); <code/>

is the 'n suppose to be \n? i did run your code in conjunction with what im doing but i still had the same problem, the browser was still communicating with the perl script the whole time the emails were being sent, almost as if the fork wasnt actually sending the emails and the perl script was? i did overcome this by placing close STDIN, STDOUT, STDERR all inside the parent process, that completely cut the parent process from from everything and seems to have done the trick :) i suspect it may cause some other problem im unaware of? now that it seems ive created a fork is there anyway to cancel a fork already in process? thanks rich